What?
Shouldn’t adequate preparation be technical?
If you are only flying in low-Earth orbit, if you encounter technical problems, you can still rescue them. For example, there are backup spacecrafts on the space station, and there will be a spacecraft on the ground ready at any time. If necessary, it can take off to transport people in space. Take it over, but it is only a few hundred kilometers above the ground.
What about the moon?
The moon is 380,000 kilometers away from the earth! At such a long distance, there is no time to react. The fastest the spacecraft can launch is one or two days. Astronauts who encounter danger may not be able to wait that long. Therefore, the technology must be mature enough.
To give a simple example, if the orbit is wrong, it may not fly to the moon, but plunge directly into the solar system. If there is a slight deviation during the flight, it will not fly to the Lagrange point of the Earth-Moon system, which is the gravitational force. If the balance point is reached, then it will not be able to use the moon's gravity to fly to the moon, and it will have to consume more fuel, which may not be enough when it comes back.
This is the first time to go to the moon and pretend to be a man. It is definitely bold enough. Being fully prepared is actually an insurance!
Qin Tao was also speechless.
"Exploring space is a dangerous and glorious mission." Max didn't think he was joking: "Everyone who goes to space is a warrior and will escape death. Whether in low-Earth orbit or heading to the moon, the dangers are all Similarly, if you choose to be an astronaut, you choose to face death at any time. What we can do is to provide them with more insurance."
“What about the passengers?” Qin Tao said, “Do you also say the same to the passengers?”
There was a hint of embarrassment on Max's face.
Of course not!
They have to tell the passengers that our moon landing plan is very thorough, our moon landing spacecraft is very advanced, and this will be an unforgettable journey!
Those who can buy spaceship tickets are rich people. Even if they are pursuing excitement, they have to risk their lives just to go sightseeing on the moon under the premise of safety. It is definitely not worth it. What is the insurance? use? Even if they are compensated 100 million, it is just drizzle for a wealthy person with a net worth of billions or tens of billions.
"Mr. Qin, going to the moon will cost a lot of money. Even if we just launch a rocket this time, circle around the moon and come back, it will cost 100 million US dollars. Although the group said that it will give us strong support, we We can’t always rely on the group’s funds to maintain it. We at Starship Company just want to tell the entire industry that the aerospace industry is not only a high investment, but also has high returns.”
Spaceflight is a waste of money. The development cost of the Saturn V used in the Yankees' Apollo moon landing program was about US$6.2 billion, which is now US$51.8 billion, and the launch cost was US$3.6 billion. Later, the United States resumed landing missions. In the March plan, the development of the SLS rocket also cost 23 billion U.S. dollars, and one launch required 4.1 billion U.S. dollars. Even the cheap Delta rocket costs as much as 350 million US dollars.
Oriental is said to have a great cost advantage. The Long March 3B to carry out high-orbit launch missions also costs 40 million U.S. dollars. As for the Fat 5, each launch easily costs 100 million U.S. dollars. This shows how expensive it is to engage in aerospace. Very few countries can support this high investment.
Now, just to go around the moon and back again, the entire plan cost, including the rocket, Dragon spacecraft, aerospace measurement and control team, etc., will require 100 million US dollars in funds. Only the most famous starship company in the world can fool passengers. Selling a boat ticket solves the problem.
Qin Tao nodded: "As long as this passenger is willing, of course we will welcome him with applause. By the way, who is this big-hearted guy?"
“Qiao Bu Si,” Max said, “I just accompanied him on a tour and experienced the swimming pool where astronauts train, so I came late.”
“Qiao Busi? Is he the genius who invented Apple Computer?” Qin Tao said in surprise.
"Yes, that's him. If he knew you were here, he would be very willing to meet you. When I was accompanying him just now, he..."
As he finished speaking, a voice came from outside.
“I’m sorry, this is the most confidential place in the company, and outsiders are not allowed to enter without permission.”
“I am not a stranger, I am your most distinguished guest, and I want to see Max.”
Max took a few steps away awkwardly, turned his head and looked outside, looking at the person who appeared at the end of the corridor in the distance and was stopped by two bodyguards.
“Since it was an accidental encounter, let him come in.” Qin Tao said, stood up from his seat and walked outside.
Jobus is the most distinguished guest. He spent 100 million US dollars to buy a ticket to fly around the moon. He will become the first ordinary person to be closest to the moon! Even just looking around the moon is already pretty good. For a rich man like him, $100 million is nothing.
At this time, he just wanted to talk to Max about other things, but he didn't expect to see other people coming out of the conference room who were so familiar. He often read this young man's reports and looked at what this young man created. Miracle.
“Mr. Qin?”
"Yes, I came here to take a look today. Max came to report to me. Unexpectedly, you came after me." Qin Tao smiled and stretched out his hand: "Mr. Qiao Busi, welcome to the East, welcome to take our train." A spaceship visits the moon.”
"Yes, I am honored. I have always been interested in the moon. This time I finally have the opportunity to see the moon up close. I am already old. I don't know if I will have the opportunity to go up there in the future. I can only go there first. Seize this opportunity." Qiao Busi said.
He was born in 1955 and is now fifty years old. If astronauts are selected, there is no doubt that he will be eliminated. This time he can fly into space. It is probably the first and last time. He will not actually land on the moon in a few years. , he may not be able to catch up.
"There must be a chance." Qin Tao said: "Your body looks very good, and you will definitely be able to participate in the real moon landing. Even if there is no chance, don't be discouraged. We will bring back the lunar soil after landing on the moon. Give you a few grams."
That’s right, it’s just a few grams. This thing is more expensive than gold, so a few grams is a lot.
"Really? That's great!" Qiao Busi was very excited.
While talking, several people walked to the conference room and sat down. Qiao Busi's eyes were still full of energy.
“Mr. Qin, your Mingzhou Group has developed so fast, it’s really enviable!” Qiao Busi said: “It is unparalleled in the chip field, even we can’t compare.”
"You can leave it to us for OEM production, just like AMD." Qin Tao said: "Apple is still very popular in the West. You have always used your own processors, which has greatly hindered your development. I think it’s best to use our Loongson processor, and you can just design the appearance and system. Technology knows no borders. It’s already a global industrial chain, so why require all products to be produced in-house.”
In the battle for chips, Apple seems to have been ignored. This is also because during the rise of Loongson, Apple was indeed not doing well.
In the mid-1980s, Joseph Sculley was squeezed out of Apple's core for various reasons. Sculley began to reorganize Apple's business and established an "Advanced Technology Group (ATG to explore revolutionary innovations. high-tech. This group is responsible for developing chips. After all, the Motorola 68000 series processors used in their Apple computers are too unreliable.
In this era, the RISC craze also emerged in Silicon Valley. Stanley also provided a large amount of funds to the new ARM company, occupying 30% of the shares.
Later, because the wintel alliance was too strong, Apple, Motorola and IBM joined forces to form the AIM Alliance. IBM came up with POWER, a high-end chip architecture based on RISC. The new chip jointly developed by the alliance was named "PowerPC". The first chip was the PowerPC601. It inherited the powerful computing performance of IBM's high-end servers and workstations, and also incorporated Motorola's top chip technology reserves. After being launched in 1992, it became a strong competitor to Intel.
However, Apple continued to lose money, so Qiao Busi returned again and came up with the epoch-making iMac G3. Like previous Apple computers, this appearance is very beautiful, and the unique "jelly" shell makes it a work of art and is widely loved. Good reviews.
Apple continues its efforts and released the PowerMac G5 just last year, which is equipped with the PowerPCG5 processor.
It is not easy for Apple to still innovate under the attack of Loongson. At the same time, in order to compete with Dongfang's chips, this processor also uses a lot of advanced technologies. As a result, its heat generation is quite high. horrible!
How terrible is it? Apple's technicians racked their brains and installed a huge water-cooling radiator on this processor. This water-cooling radiator occupies half of the chassis volume, which is exaggerated to a terrifying degree!
Qiao Busi's mind began to think rapidly.
However, if the chip is to be handed over to Dongfang for foundry, it means that Dongfang will fully control its own chips. The architecture of Power chip and X86 are different. This is to serve as a teacher for Dongfang and let Dongfang know its business secrets.
He still doesn’t want to hand over such an advanced architecture to the East, so there is another way left: purchasing chips from the East! Loongson's chip technology is indeed the best in the world. Every brand-new chip can be three to five years ahead of its competitors. When competitors spend huge sums of money to develop chips that can catch up with Loongson, Loongson will make chips with the same performance more popular. Cut prices drastically, distribute a large amount of products, and then introduce new chips as high-end products. Under such pressure, no opponent can afford it. If Intel did not have a capital injection from the state, it would have gone bankrupt after several rounds of tossing.
However, Loongson's advanced chips are first used for their own use and are rarely exported. Now that Mr. Qin has extended an invitation, he might as well put forward some new requirements.
“Mr. Qin, we require the right to launch Loongson in the West. When you develop a brand-new chip, you must send it to us for testing as soon as possible, and then you cannot limit production capacity. You will supply us with as much as we need.”
Max jumped. Hey, man, wake up and stop dreaming. You just spent 100 million dollars to buy a ticket and go for a walk around the moon. Don’t even think about making some rude requests. These requests of yours, Mr. Qin obviously won’t agree!
Qin Tao smiled: "I don't care about this. You have to talk to Loongson Company in person."
What's so difficult about this? Just kick the ball! Even though I am the boss of the group, I am also the boss. I don’t have any say in the affairs of my subordinates. You can talk to them.
Qiao Busi was stunned for a moment: "Did you say that? You are the CEO of the group. All you have to do is make a phone call."
"No, no, you misunderstood." Qin Tao shook his head: "I agreed with them that they would come to me when investing and share the profits with me, but I cannot interfere with their production and operation. Although Loongson Company is It is a subsidiary company of the group, but it is more like a dry stock. Do you know what a dry stock is? It is the kind that only takes dividends and does not interfere with production and operations."
Qiao Busi was stunned by Qin Tao's remarks. There was a blank in his brain for more than ten seconds, and then he recovered: "Okay, in this case, wait until a week later, come down from the sky, and I will go to Godson in person." According to the company, Apple is the computer company with the most potential, and if we cooperate, it will be a win-win situation."
A week later? This time it was Qin Tao's turn to be surprised: "When will our rocket be launched?"
“Between tomorrow night and the early morning of the day after tomorrow.”
So fast?
Qin Tao almost missed it! This cannot be blamed on his secretary. He has too many companies and projects, and it is impossible to pay attention to every one of them. Xu Zhengyang also introduced based on Qin Tao's interests. This time he mentioned Ah San and the moon landing. Plan, Xu Zhengyang mentioned the moon landing rocket here.
However, Xu Zhengyang doesn’t know the specific date of launch. After all, this is a decision made by Starship Company only today.
“Who’s going up?” Qin Tao asked.
The aerospace heroes who work part-time as astronauts in the Starship Company are lucky. One or two launches a year give each of them the opportunity to fly to space, and now they even have the opportunity to fly to the moon!
“Zhao Dong and Deng Ming.”
“Is it because they are the most skilled in training?” Qin Tao asked.
In fact, the astronauts in the Oriental are all well trained. The actual selection of who will go up there is only a few tenths of a point difference. In fact, everyone is qualified, but because there are few space missions, it is different now.
“It came out by lottery,” Max said.
Lottery!
You can buy a car by lottery, you can buy a house by lottery, you can go to college by lottery, you can go to space by lottery!
“We have many space missions, and we plan to recruit a second batch of astronauts. These astronauts will not be restricted by nationality, and it will all depend on their personal qualities. Mr. Qin, what do you think?” Max said about the next plan.
“Of course, this belongs to our company after all. By the way, where is the rocket? I didn’t see it when I came here.”
"A special building has been built near the launch pad. The rocket will only come out of the building and transfer to the launch pad the day before launch." Max said: "Mr. Qin, if you want to go and see it, I will I can take you there.”
Qiao Busi on the side also intervened: "I'll go too!"
"good."
Starship Company is independent, but the launch site is still the Wenchang Launch Site. This launch site not only launches Starship, but also launches other Dongfang rockets, so it is large-scale. There are two launch pads in the first phase of the project, namely 101 and 201, of which 101 is almost a dedicated launch pad for starships.
Beside the launch pad, a few hundred meters away, a building was built. Rockets built by Starship Company were first moved to this building for various tests, and then moved along the track before launch.
Qin Tao has seen Starship MK1 more than once. When he comes to see it again this time, compared with the previous times, the biggest feature is that the height has increased.
In the past, it was enough to mount the Dragon spacecraft directly on the top. Even if a few engines stalled, we were not afraid. But this time it is not possible. In order to fly to the moon, we need to add another level below the Dragon spacecraft. This level is responsible for The Dragon spacecraft is pushed to the lunar orbit, and then the Dragon spacecraft is brought back.
Looking at the high rocket, Qiao Busi's face was full of longing. As a rich man, he has to have no worries about food and clothing in his life, so he must have some special ideals.
As I was watching, two people came down from above, wearing full space suits, looking heroic.
“Mr. Qin?”
“Reporting to Mr. Qin, the manned lunar orbiting team is conducting simulation training, please give instructions!” Zhao Dong raised his right hand.
In fact, they have been separated from the Eastern Astronaut Group and have completely belonged to the Starship Company, but they still have a military style in every gesture.
Since you are an employee of Starship Company, of course you have to report to your superior, the boss of Mingzhou Group.
"Well, how are you preparing?" Qin Tao said: "It will take four or five days to go up this time, right? Can you still adapt to space life?"
"Of course there is no problem. The last time we went up, we stayed in space for more than a week, and we have already gotten used to it. If we can go to the space station in the future, we will have to stay for half a year, but going to the space station is not as interesting as landing on the moon." Deng Ming said: "We are already looking forward to the feeling of stepping on the moon!"
Landing on the moon was something that was unimaginable before, but now, it is coming step by step!
“By the way, you need to take Qiao Busi up with you. During these few days in space, you must take good care of our passengers.”
“Yes, we have been cooperating with Mr. Qiao Busi these days. In fact, as long as you can use our space toilet and eat, there will be no big problem.”
It is no problem for ordinary passengers to go to space. The physical fitness requirements are not too high. They just need to train well in two things: eating and going to the toilet. If they are not done well, the entire interior of the spacecraft will be dirty.
“I look forward to your triumphant return. When you come back, the group will give each of you a big red envelope!”
“No need, Mr. Qin, our treatment is already high enough and we no longer need material rewards.”
“Then what do you want?”
“We don’t want anything, we just want to be able to step on the moon as soon as possible!”